Our industry strengths

NewcastleGateshead is becoming increasingly known for its academic excellence and significant economic growth in tech and innovation, medical sciences and sustainability, and offshore and marine. Home to the inventors of the light bulb and the steam turbine, our history and continued innovation power the pioneering drive of our businesses and universities.

Medical sciences and sustainability

Internationally renowned for life sciences, healthcare and sustainability, Newcastle is one of six designated UK Science Cities. Recognised for its strengths in ageing, biomedicine and clinical trials, NewcastleGateshead has cutting-edge facilities including the International Centre for Life and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing (NUIA), the largest facility of its kind in Europe. Newcastle University was also recently awarded £20m by the government to establish the National Centre for Ageing Science and Innovation.

Academics and industry experts within the ageing sector gathered in NewcastleGateshead to share their research at the 6th Annual Alliance for Healthy Aging and 2018 will see the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Thyroid Association come to the destination.

The city’s newest addition and landmark location for science, Newcastle Science Central, is a hub where academics and businesses can collaborate, innovate and develop solutions for tomorrow’s cities.

The North East also has an extensive pharmaceutical cluster, accounting for 1/3 of the UK’s turnover in pharmaceuticals and Newcastle Hospitals undertook the UK’s largest number of clinical trials in 2014.

The Newcastle Embryonic Stem Cell Group was awarded the first license to create stem cells from unfertilised human eggs for medical application.

The International Centre for Life houses the £10m Life Knowledge Park and The Institute of Human Genetics.

Newcastle University has been awarded £20m to establish The National Centre for Ageing Science and Innovation.

Offshore and marine

NewcastleGateshead is a major centre for the renewable, offshore and subsea energy industries and is one of six Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) in England. We’re also home to the world’s most advanced steel tube facility and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, the UK’s flagship technology innovation and research centre for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy.

Newcastle University has recently invested in a £7m world-class engineering research facility, the Neptune National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering, which is the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together industry and academia.

New investment in the North Sea took expenditure to a record £13.5bn in 2013 and our rich industrial and maritime heritage provides businesses with all the relevant skills needed for the sector today. Our expertise and knowledge in this sector attract a range of conferences with NOF Energy returning year after year for its annual conference, held at Sage Gateshead.

One of only six Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) in England.

The world's most advanced steel tube facility is based at Walker Riverside in Newcastle.

Over 65,000 skilled workers are currently employed in the energy industries in North East England.

Tech and innovation

We’re emerging as one of the most vibrant tech clusters outside of London and are home to industry leaders including Reflections - an Ubisoft Studio, ZeroLight, CCP Games and the only remaining technology stock in the FTSE 100, Sage Group plc. Over 1,500 technology businesses are based in the North East, estimated to grow to 2,200 by 2020.

NewcastleGateshead is home to two outstanding universities with Newcastle University ranked number one in computing science research impact and Northumbria University leading the way in computer forensics and security. Just down the road from NewcastleGateshead, the University of Sunderland has also received funding to continue its work in cybercrime.

Newcastle University is ranked 1st in the UK for computing science research impact.